What is Sustainable Seafood?

What is Sustainable Seafood?

sea·food

[noun]  any fish or shellfish from the sea used for food

sus·tain·a·ble

[adj.]  capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage.

Sustainable seafood is about eating seafood today, tomorrow and into the future.

Demand for seafood is greater than ever before, and fish stocks are increasingly under pressure. Overfishing of key species and the use of damaging fishing techniques have taken their toll on fish stocks and disrupted the fragile balance of marine ecosystems. However, there is hope. Increasingly, consumers, government and the seafood industry are becoming aware of their impact. Many fishers and farmers are taking steps to improve their practices to the benefit of the environment.

The GoodFishBadFish philosophy is that improving the state of the oceans (and ending overfishing) starts with consumers. Making consumers aware of the power of their purchasing decisions starts with highlighting the demand based nature of the food services industry. By supporting the development of sustainable fisheries we can encourage changes within the industry which will lead to better environmental outcomes.

GoodFishBadFish collates and interprets information about sustainable seafood in order to make consumers’ choices easier.

GoodFishBadFish provide the resources that will  allow you to make informed, sustainable, choices. Background information is provided to allow for a clearer understanding of some of the issues relating to seafood sustainability. The ‘Seafood Converter’ helps find sustainable species and offers alternatives to those that should be avoided, with handy cooking tips too. The site also provides additional information and resources that allow for optional further reading on key issues and developments.

By supporting the industries that put fish on our tables and encouraging better environmental practices consumers can turn the tide, ensuring that there will always be ‘plenty more fish in the sea’.

The Role of Chefs & Restaurants

Chefs have an important role to play in seafood sustainability.

We are seeing more and more restaurant openings, and the number of meals eaten out of home is increasing greatly.  This means that chefs have a growing responsibility to educate and inform their customers, and provide them with sustainable alternatives. By telling suppliers and customers about sustainable seafood, chefs can create awareness of the issue.

Menu selections and purchasing decisions have the power to influence the market, and Australian fishing practices, directly. Together, chefs, restaurateurs and the public can ‘vote with their wallets’ to send a strong message to seafood suppliers, policy makers and fishermen. Let them know that the public supports sustainable seafood and will choose to spend their money in support of sustainable fisheries.

A chef’s commitment to sourcing only sustainably managed wild-caught and farmed seafood is an important action.  It shows an ability to act and demonstrates respect for the long-term future of seafood species.  As we’ve seen with movements such as organics and locavore eating, the trends that start in the nations restaurants don’t take long to trickle down to home cooking too.

Steps to a Sustainable Menu:

For a chef or restaurateur wanting to make a commitment to sourcing sustainable seafood, there are a few easy steps you can take.

1. Choose a relevant guide (such as AMCS’s Australian Sustainable Seafood Guide) to follow.

2. Start by committing not to sell any seafood that falls into the ‘red’ category of your guide.

3. Expand this commitment to include measurable goals such as “We will aim to purchase (over 50%) of our seafood from only ‘Green’ categories within 6 months, and (75%) within a year.”

4. Make sure your goals are realistic and put in place measures to make them possible.  For example, you might decide that with each change of your menu, you will attempt to replace one ‘Amber’ species with a ‘Green’.  These are small steps that will lead to a more sustainable business.

5. Be proud of your efforts and advertise them.  Make sure all staff understand the commitments of the business and the reasons for them, so they can pass on this information to your customers.  Good (ethical) business practices are something that consumers want to know about, and in turn be part of.

This is a simple guide to beginning a commitment to source only sustainable seafood. For more detailed information, feel free to contact GoodFishBadFish.

The Role of Consumers

The role of consumers is simple, attempt to choose sustainable seafood when cooking at home and eating out in restaurants!

By choosing seafood that comes from well-managed fisheries, you send a message up the supply chain (to chefs, retailers, wholesalers, farmers and fishermen) that responsible fishing is a viable and necessary part of their industry. It supports those already doing the right thing, and encourages those who aren’t to change their practices.

Ensure that your choices contribute to the responsible management of fish stocks and encourage farmers and fishers to act in a way that causes minimal environmental damage.

To help you make an informed choice at the seafood counter, here at GFBF we’ve put together some QUICK TIPS

When purchasing seafood or eating out in a restaurant, consider:

• The sustainability of the species on offer
• The origin of the species
• The fishing technique or aquaculture method used

Avoid seafood that appears on any ‘Seafood Redlist’ or is categorised ‘Say No’. Avoid seafood caught by damaging fishing methods such as bottom trawling, or farmed using methods that have adverse impacts on marine ecosystems. (You can check out individual species profiles in the Seafood Converter to see how they rate – find it on the homepage!)

Ask, Ask, Ask Questions of your seafood purveyor or restaurant. Ask them to identify species by their Standardised Fish Names (see ‘Fish Names and Labeling’), ask them to tell you how it was caught or farmed, and ask them to tell you exactly where it is from. This information is all vital to making an informed choice about what to purchase. Letting them know your interest in sustainably sourced seafood will also encourage them to learn more and adopt responsible purchasing practices themselves.

Remember, there are plenty of sustainable options for the seafood lover. At GoodFishBadFish we’re not trying to scare anyone off eating seafood, but we are encouraging substituting overfished and environmentally damaging species with sustainable alternatives. Not sure what to pick? Check out the ‘Seafood Converter’ (on the homepage) for info on your favourite seafood items, some good alternatives, and handy cooking tips too!

GoodFishBadFish Tips for Purchasing Seafood Sustainably

Eat Local
In general, Australian aquaculture regulation and fisheries management is very good – so only buy Australian seafood.

Eat lower on the food chain
Small schooling fish are usually fast breeding and short-lived, making their stocks more robust and more capable of withstanding fishing pressures.

Avoid larger, longer lived species
Avoid tunas, shark (“flake”), skates and rays, which have very few young and are under pressure from decades of overfishing.

Ask questions
When at fishmongers and restaurants, ask about origin, fishing technique or aquaculture method. Ask suppliers of seafood to identify species by its Standardised Fish Name.

Shopping choices
Be an informed consumer and signal your interest in sustainable seafood so that restaurants and retailers realise the demand for and the benefits of sourcing sustainable seafood products.

Fish Names and Labeling

Seafood Labeling

Confusion surrounding seafood labeling is the most prohibitive factor when attempting to select sustainable seafood. Without knowing what we’re buying, making a choice on what to purchase becomes impossible. Clear labeling and increased traceability of seafood provides consumers with the information needed to choose sustainable species with confidence and avoid those that are overfished or caught using destructive techniques.

To make an informed choice, we need to know:

–       The standardised name of the fish or species
–       The fishing technique used, or method of aquaculture
–       The country of origin, or even more specific details such as the catch area

These are the basics, but some organizations go further in their labeling demands. The Australian Marine Conservation Society would like the companies farming or fishing the species named, because as they point out:

“Those who catch or farm fish should be accountable for the methods they use. Naming the source company would encourage each fishery to excel in environmental management and gain a marketing advantage. Similarily, environmentally destructive companies could be avoided if the public could identify who they were.”

Greenpeace goes even further with their labeling demands, click here to see them.

In Australia, country of origin labeling is now legally required for seafood products. This is a step in the right direction for seafood traceability, however it applies only to retailers, with restaurants not required to inform customers where their seafood comes from. The best you can do is ask questions and express your desire for more information and clearer labeling on menus.

Correct Fish Names

To guarantee the sustainability of a species, we first need to be able to identify the species accurately. Many species have several names which may vary from state to state or be used by retailers to market otherwise unpopular fish. Unfortunately, this makes the task of the ethical consumer looking for sustainable species more difficult. I know Orange Roughy is unsustainable, but what about this Deep Sea Perch at my retailer? (It’s the same fish guys!)

Similarily, many fish are marketed under very generic names, such as ‘Bream’ or ‘Cod’. These names might refer to many different species, some of which will be more sustainable choices then others.

To combat this, species names have been standardised by the Australian Fish Names Committee under Seafood Services Australia, a joint government and seafood industry initiative. The standard sets out one name for each species to be used nationally and across all stages of the supply chain, whether it is caught locally or imported. Their ‘Fishnames‘ website is a great resource for checking out the correct names for your seafood.

Seafood Services Australia has developed the ‘Fish Names Brand Scheme’ to compliment and promote the Standard. Look for this logo as it guarantees that the business is committed to using the correct names on all of its seafood products.

You should, however, be able to find this out at any retailer. If you think the labeling at your fishmonger or restaurant is confusing or misleading, ask them to identify the species on offer by its standarised name. If they can’t help, shop elsewhere.

On its website, FSANZ gives seven reasons why fish labeling is an important issue, including “Consumers have a right to make informed choices when purchasing so must have confidence in correct labeling”. See the full list of reasons here.

Aquaculture Methods

Aquaculture is the world’s fastest growing seafood sector, likely to overtake all other methods of seafood production within a few years time. It has been hailed as both the saviour and the ruin of the oceans. So which is right? Different methods of aquaculture have different impacts on the environment, so it is worth knowing how your seafood was farmed. Here is a look at some of the most common methods of Aquaculture employed in Australia today and their pros and cons. Also check out the Fishing Techniques page, to learn how wild fish are caught.

Open Aquaculture Systems: Sea-cage (active feeding)
Open Aquaculture Systems: Sticks, ropes, racks and cages (passive feeding)
Semi-closed Aquaculture Systems
Closed Aquaculture Systems

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Open Aquaculture Systems: Sea-cage (active feeding)

Open sea-cage aquaculture refers to the rearing of aquatic species, within enclosures in natural waterways. Open systems are being implemented in a wide range of environments including freshwater rivers, brackish estuaries and coastal marine regions. Floating mesh cages are anchored to the seafloor and vary in size depending on the scale of operation and the species cultured.

Juvenile stock is sourced either from hatcheries or wild populations, and grown out in pens until a marketable size has been reached. Finfish grown in open systems are primarily carnivorous species which are fed on a diet of fishmeal (pellets comprising small schooling fish species). Some rapidly developing open systems in Australia include yellowtail kingfish, southern bluefin tuna, Atlantic salmon, trout and barramundi.

There are numerous concerns associated with the expansion of open sea-cage aquaculture. One of the primary objections relates to the requirement of fishmeal to feed carnivorous species. In some cases the conversion ratio may be in the order of more than 5kg of fishmeal to produce just 1kg of marketable fish. Other significant issues include increased disease and parasite transmission due to high fish densities, the risk of escape and interbreeding with wild populations, and reduced water quality resulting from the accumulation of faecal waste.

For a detailed look at this method of aquaculture, read the GoodFishBadFish series: Exploring Open-Pen Sea Cage Aquaculture

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Open Aquaculture Systems: Sticks, ropes, racks and cages (passive feeding)

The culture of numerous shellfish species is carried out in systems open to natural waterways. Larval stages may be collected from the wild or produced in hatcheries. These are then placed into the water column by methods including attachment to sticks or ropes, or containment in cages. The main species cultured with these methods are mussels and oysters. As these species are filter-feeders, they are capable of extracting nutritional requirements from the water column, with no fishmeal being added.

The farming of mussels, oysters and other filter feeders can be considered sustainable methods of aquaculture. There is minimal impact on marine habitats or water quality provided water flow is sufficient. The discarding of sticks and racks may be a concern in some areas.

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Semi-closed Aquaculture Systems

Semi-closed aquaculture refers to the land-based production of a species, in which water is exchanged between the farm and a natural waterway. Waste water is released from the ponds into the local waterway, whilst the farm is replenished with fresh water pumped back into the system. Prawn farming is the predominant form of semi-closed aquaculture, also representing the most extensive use of pond systems in Australia.

The black tiger prawn is the primary species being farmed in Australia, whilst banana, kuruma and brown tiger prawns are also being produced for the seafood industry. Vannamei prawns imported from Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly available as a low-cost alternative in Australian markets.

Semi-closed aquaculture operations can have large-scale effects on coastal ecosystems. As ponds require continual water exchange, they are often located adjacent to waterways, where coastal wetlands and mangroves are reclaimed for development. The result can be a vast loss of habitat which is critical for the juvenile stage of many species. Constant outflow of water may also reduce surrounding water quality if not treated adequately. Prawns are supplemented with fishmeal (pellets comprising small schooling fish species) at conversion ratios generally between 1-3kg of feed to 1kg of prawns, placing continued demand on wild fish stocks.

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Closed Aquaculture Systems

 

Closed system aquaculture refers to the land-based rearing of aquatic species in raceways, tanks and ponds. Recirculation technology is implemented which cycles water through filtration processes and returns it back into the aquaculture system. This process aids in maintaining water quality whilst ensuring minimal exchange with natural waterways.

Closed aquaculture systems are primarily used for freshwater species with silver perch, barramundi, yabbies and marron amongst the most common marketable species in Australia. Blacklip and greenlip abalone are the main marine species produced in closed systems, and are experiencing rapid growth due to demand from Asian markets.

Closed system aquaculture is considered one of the more environmentally benign methods of rearing aquatic species. Fishmeal (pellets comprising small schooling fish species) may be added to feed carnivorous aquaculture species, and is a concern as it places continued demand on wild fish stocks.  However, there is negligible interference with waterways as a result of tight control over waste water and the prevention of fish escape.

Want more? Check out the Fishing Techniques page to learn how wild fish stocks are harvested.

Fishing Techniques

Fisheries in Australia, and throughout the world, use a range of different techniques to catch seafood. Some of these have a much greater impact on marine environments than others, so it makes sense to support those fisheries that employ least-damaging fishing techniques. Here are some of the most common fishing techniques employed in Australia today and their pros and cons.  We hope this information helps consumers to make informed choices when purchasing seafood by avoiding those products which have been taken with little regard for the environment. Also check out the Aquaculture Methods page, to learn how fish are farmed and raised.

Pole and Line Fishing
Dive Fisheries and Hand Collection
Pots and Traps
Dredging
Purse Seine
Pelagic Longlining
Demersal Longlining
Pelagic or Drifting Gillnet
Demersal Gillnet
Pelagic Trawling
Demersal Trawling
Ghost Fishing

 

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Pole and Line Fishing

Pole and line fishing is a traditional method by which predatory fishes are captured one-by-one on hook and line. Schools are located and enticed into a feeding frenzy by maintaining a constant supply of live or dead baitfish to the water in a process known as ‘chumming’. Water may also be sprayed onto the sea surface, giving the effect of a fleeing bait school. Fisherman then present bare or baited hooks, or artificial lures, to the target fish which are hauled on board the vessel one at a time. Major pole and line fisheries target tuna species such as skipjack and albacore, however there are also numerous operations targeting tropical reef fishes.

Pole and line fishing is generally thought to have a minimal impact on habitat and fish stocks, however, localised depletions can occur. Bycatch rates are generally low, and unwanted fish can often be returned to the water quickly. There are some concerns that the use of baitfish for chumming can be unsustainable, and it is vital that the fisheries where those fish are sourced are rigorously managed. Ghost fishing through lost fishing gear is also an issue of concern.

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Dive Fisheries and Hand Collection

Dive fisheries typically involve hand collection of the target species with the aid of a breathing device. Divers utilise either snorkelling equipment or systems that deliver compressed air from aboard the fishing vessel (hookah systems). Abalone and rock lobster are heavily targeted by commercial dive fisheries, whilst sea cucumber and sea urchins are becoming increasingly fished due to growing demand in both local and international markets. There are a range of collection methods depending on the target species and state regulations. Some common approaches may include gloved hand, leverage devices, hooks or tongs.

Dive fisheries are considered to have a negligible impact on the environment, as the collection method is highly selective of size and species. However, as a result of depth and accessibility limitations on divers, intensive hand collection can cause localised stock depletion, posing a significant problem in some areas.

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Pots and Traps

Pots and traps can be used to catch a variety of fish and crustaceans. Mud crabs, blue swimmer crabs and rock lobster are species commonly targeted with these methods. The structure generally consists of a mesh body, with one way entrances leading into a baited enclosure. These techniques have a relatively low impact on habitat and are highly selective. Furthermore, unwanted catch can often be returned to the water unharmed.

The entanglement of sea turtles and marine mammals in marker ropes is a leading concern in pot and trap fisheries. Fortunately, the level of occurrence is generally minimal and often localised, allowing relevant management strategies to be implemented.

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Dredging

Dredging is a technique primarily targeting bottom dwelling molluscs such as scallops and clams. The dredge comprises of a steel bar with rigid teeth attached to its base. As the dredge is towed behind the vessel, the catch is ploughed from the seafloor and collected in a mesh net or cage. Owing to the constant contact with the seafloor, dredging is amongst the most destructive methods of fishing in these habitats. Additionally, dredging can be highly unselective, with high levels of bottom dwelling fish and invertebrates often caught as bycatch.

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Purse Seine

Purse seine fishing is a technique targeting pelagic (surface/open ocean) schooling fish such as tuna and mackerel. The vessel surrounds the school with netting before bringing the bottom together into a purse-like enclosure. As the targeted species generally congregate together at high density and in open water, purse seining can be highly selective and have little to no impact on marine habitat. In recent decades, reassessment of purse seining and its regulations has resulted in a greatly reduced bycatch of dolphins, however this occurrence remains the major concern in these fisheries.

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Pelagic Longlining

Pelagic (surface/open ocean) longlining vessels deploy expansive lengths of baited hooks, whilst pursuing apex predators such as billfish, tuna and sharks. These lines are commonly between 10-100km long, and have thousands of baited hooks spaced consistently on branching lines (snoods).

Pelagic longlines remain suspended with buoys and pose minimal risk to marine habitats. The major concern in pelagic longline fisheries is that of bycatch. Seabirds such as albatross and petrels frequently drown after being caught diving for the baited hooks. Numerous strategies such as setting weighted lines deeper and/or at night and the use of bird scaring devices have aided in reducing seabird bycatch. The extensive lengths of fishing line also commonly cause the entanglement of sea turtles and marine mammals.

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Demersal Longlining

Demersal (seafloor) longlining is a commercial method targeting bottom dwelling sharks and a vast range of scale-fish species. Demersal longlines are fixed along the seafloor using anchors, at depths as little as a few hundred metres down to many thousands of metres. In contrast to pelagic longlining, demersal operations often have shorter, more frequent branching lines (snoods) as well as shorter mainlines.

Compared with other bottom- fishing techniques, demersal longlining has a relatively low impact on marine habitas. As with most bottom fishing techniques, bycatch is a major concern in these fisheries, with many unsaleable shark and fish species being landed. As sharks and deep-sea species are commonly long-lived and slow growing, their removal can be highly detrimental at both species and ecosystem levels.

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Pelagic or Drifting Gillnet

Pelagic (surface/open ocean) gillnets are systems of netting with highly specific mesh sizes. Gillnets as long as 2.5km, are placed vertically in the water column with the use of buoys and weights. These nets may be anchored or allowed to drift with prevailing currents, intercepting migrating sharks and fishes such as tuna and mackeral. Large fish become entangled in the net (commonly around the gills), whilst smaller fish are able to pass through the designated mesh size.

Gillnets are highly size selective and pose little risk to habitat when placed high in the water column.  Due to the large expanses of netting, bycatch of turtles, diving seabirds and marine mammals is of great concern. Research using sound deterrents to diverge marine mammals from fishing areas is currently in progress.

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Demersal Gillnet

Demersal (seafloor) gillnets are lengths of netting set in place vertically along the seabed, with the use of weights and buoys. They possess a predefined mesh size which results in the targeted fish being entangled in the net, whilst allowing smaller fish to swim straight through. Demersal gillnet fisheries target a range of shark and scale-fish species such as snapper and barramundi.

Gillnetting provides a highly size selective method of fishing, allowing undersized fish to avoid entanglement. They also have a relatively minimal impact on seafloor habitats when compared with other demersal fishing techniques. Conversely, their impact on non-target species can be significant, with marine mammals and unsaleable fish and shark species often being taken as bycatch.

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Pelagic Trawling

Pelagic (surface/open ocean) trawling involves the towing of large nets behind one or more fishing vessels. Pelagic trawls rely on filtering enormous volumes of water in order to increase catch success. Net entrances may be several hundred metres wide and are held open with the use of floats on the upper edge and weights on the lower edge. Captured fish are funnelled into the back section of the net which is known as the cod-end. This method is commonly used to catch schooling pelagic species such as tuna and mackerel.

When targeting a single schooling species, pelagic trawling can be can be quite selective with minimal fish bycatch incurred. However, shark and marine mammal entanglement can be significant, particularly to dolphin pods pursuing shoaling fish. Seabird mortality is also a concern, as birds may collide with trawling cables or become entangled in the net whilst diving for captured fish.

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Demersal Trawling

 

Demersal (seafloor) trawling is the general term for a number of trawling methods targeting bottom dwelling species. The main feature in all demersal trawling techniques is that the hauled net maintains contact with the seafloor as the vessel is underway. This is achieved by weighting the bottom edge of the net entrance, whilst floating the top edge with the use of buoys. These weights also assist in disturbing buried fish up into the water column. Demersal trawls are characteristically smaller than pelagic trawls, as bottom dwelling species generally remain close to the seafloor for food and refuge. Fish such as flathead, flounder and orange roughy are commonly targeted with the use of demersal trawls.

Demersal trawls have the potential to cause significant damage to the seafloor in fragile habitats. As the trawl is hauled along the bottom, marine flora as well as invertebrates such as sponges and corals may be ploughed from the bottom or crushed. In addition, demersal trawling has minimal selective potential, often resulting in high levels of bycatch.

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Ghost Fishing

Ghost fishing is the term used to describe the capture or entanglement of organisms in lost or discarded fishing gear. Fishing equipment such as line and hooks, nets, pots and traps are often lost in waterways due to rough seas, unmaintained gear or snagging on the seafloor. Fisherman may also discard these items when they have become ineffective or faulty. This unmonitored fishing gear is then free to drift on ocean currents and tides, entangling and killing sea creatures indiscriminately.

Ghost fishing poses a significant threat to marine organisms. Pelagic (surface) ghost nets may drift around the oceans for years, entangling fish and marine mammals which may be passing by or attracted by the dead or struggling fish. Seabirds such as albatross may also become entangled when diving for trapped fish. Floating ghost nets also pose a risk of propeller entanglement for passing vessels.

Demersal (seafloor) ghost fishing is often from demersal gillnet fisheries, or pots and traps set by crustacean fisheries. These items affect ecosystems in ways comparable with pelagic ghost fishing. Ghost pots and traps catch the target animals, which then become bait for more individuals in an endless cycle. Some efforts have been made to retrieve lost fishing equipment, however, due to the drifting nature and unknown location of most equipment, attempts have been small scale and variable in success.

Want more? Check out the Aquaculture Methods page to learn how fish are farmed and raised.

Guides and Certification

There are an increasing number of guides, eco-labels and certification schemes out there, designed to inform consumers on sustainable seafood and aid their choices. While this is encouraging, and shows an increase in the interest in this topic, the differing information can sometimes cause confusion.

At GoodFishBadFish, we want to take this information and put it all together in one, easy to use, place. We don’t pretend to make our own species assessments, we simply collate and interpret the available information from the relevant organisations. By removing some of the confusion surrounding seafood sustainability, we aim to make your choices easier and more informed.

Here is a quick look at some of the organisations having their say in the conversation about sustainable seafood.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (referred to throughout this website as AMCS) is an independent charity and environmental organisation dedicated to conserving the ocean and its wildlife. They publish ‘Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide’, Australia’s only comprehensive national seafood species guide. They use a traffic-light system to recommend that consumers ‘SAY NO’, ‘THINK TWICE’ or support ‘BETTER CHOICE’ seafood species.

AMCS ‘GoodFish’ Sustainable Seafood Guide

 

Greenpeace Australia Pacific continues the prominent environmental organisation’s practices of campaigning and non-violent direct action. Their campaigns for sustainable seafood include lobbying for increased seafood labelling laws. Greenpeace also publish a consumer guide to canned tuna, in an attempt to raise awareness and have the worst offending brands address their practices. Their ‘Seafood Redlist’ details 12 seafood species that should be avoided by consumers because of stock depletion or the use of damaging fishing methods.

www.greenpeace.org/australia/

 

Friend of the Sea (FOS) is an international organisation that provides certification of sustainable seafood products from both wild fisheries and aquaculture. Companies pay for assessment and the right to display an eco-label identifying their product as one certified by FOS. Criticisms of FOS include a lack of transparency, ambiguous assessment criteria, insufficient public input and their certification of fisheries of forage species integral to marine ecosystems.

www.friendofthesea.org

 

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent non-profit organisation that works throughout the seafood supply chain to encourage and promote sustainable practices and seafood traceability. Their distinctive blue eco-label identifies wild-capture products and fisheries that have been independently assessed and found to meet the standards for sustainability set by the organisation. These standards are consistent with the UNFAO guidelines for the eco-labelling of fish and fishery products from marine capture fisheries. Criticisms of MSC include the prohibitive costs that independent auditors charge for assessment and the certification of fisheries associated with high levels of bycatch. For fisheries to maintain their MSC certification they must undergo annual surveillance audits and undertake a complete re-assessment every five years.

www.msc.org

 

The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc (Forest & Bird) is an environmental organisation dedicated to the protection of New Zealand’s wildlife and habitats. Forest & Bird publish the ‘Best Fish Guide’, a comprehensive assessment of NZ seafood species. The guide uses a traffic-light system and applaudable transparency in regard to their assessment methodology to inform consumers on which species to eat and which to avoid.

www.forestandbird.org.nz
The Best Fish Guide

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organisation dedicated to natural resource conservation and sustainability at both the global and local level. They maintain the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s most comprehensive record of the conservation status of flora and fauna. Their assessments are made based on precise criteria that evaluate the risk of extinction of plant and animal species. This information is used to convey the urgency of species’ plights and encourage international action from governments and policy makers.

www.iucn.org

 

Government – DPIs and the EPBC Act List of Threatened Species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the central framework of the Australian Government’s environmental legislation and policy. The EPBC Act draws up Australia’s lists of threatened species, which are categorised according to the vulnerability of the species. Listings draw upon population statistics and information provided by the states. As a result of listing, threats are identified and management plans enacted.

The Australian states and territories manage their own fisheries, usually through the relevant Department of Primary Industries (DPI). Many of these DPIs publish fisheries statistics and classify species by conservation concerns. These fisheries assessments are used by some environmental groups as part of their species assessment processes, and where relevant have been referred to on this website.

Government stock assessments are available at fish.gov.au

Good Fish, Bad Fish? If only it was that simple.

Due to popular demand we have compiled a list of ‘GoodFishBadFish Favourites’. These are species that have great sustainability records that we want to both eat and promote..  so get into them!

Skip straight to the list of Species Profiles:
GFBF Favourites
The Rest…

So, what is Sustainability, and why the disagreement?

Since the launch of GFBF we’ve resisted putting up a list of ‘good fish’ and ‘bad fish’ on the website. This is because the issues surrounding sustainable seafood are not black and white.

We were afraid that putting up a list such as this would remove the incentive to look deeper into the isssues surrounding each species – how it is caught or farmed, who by, where, and how these practices affect surrounding environments. We have always encouraged site users to empower themselves by becoming informed consumers, rather then blindly following the advice of a group they know nothing about.

It’s very difficult to establish conclusively what species we should and shouldn’t be eating. The differing recommendations of the various conservation groups and certification bodies can seem to add to this confusion. However, it’s worth looking at them in a different light. The different guides serve different purposes and have different core values at the heart of their recommendations. It is the task of you as a consumer to find a group whose values align with your own. Not easy, I know. Sorry.

Everyone has different values, and this should hold for seafood sustainability as much as anything else. You’re reading this because you like to eat seafood, but what is an acceptable cost for that seafood? The government has an idea of what that an acceptable cost might be, which differs to that of conservation groups or sustainability accreditation schemes. But you can draw your own line. There are simple questions like: “Am I ok with the possible deaths of seals and birds in the fishery?” or “Do I accept that the government will step in if things get bad?”. These are the questions that we’ll be posing as we review and update the GFBF species profiles.

We are very lucky to live in a country with very high awareness and management standards around environmental sustainability, with fisheries being no exception. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect and we don’t have work to do, but there is an underlying standard of environmental responsibility in Australia that isn’t reflected everywhere around the world.

In the GFBF species profiles we examine why the different groups are disagreeing about sustainability, so you can make your own choice according to what you believe is important. This information will be communicated through simple questions and points to consider, giving you the tools with which to make and informed decision about the sustainability of the seafood you consume.

But if that’s too much (and don’t we have enough things to worry about), then just go with our three tips, and you can’t go half wrong:

Our simple advice:

Buy local
Buy fresh
Diversify your choice

Buy local because we have the best managed fisheries in the world.

Buy fresh for taste and health

Diversify your choice to try something new and spread the impacts of fishing.

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Series and Articles

Got an idea for a series or an issue related to seafood and sustainability that you think GoodFishBadFish should explore? We’d love to hear your suggestions, so CONTACT US

ABARE Fishery Status Reports 2010 – Nov 2011

At the end of October the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) released their Fishery Status Reports 2010, the annual assessment of the status of fish stocks and fisheries managed by the Australian Government. GoodFishBadFish looks at the results and the reaction of environmental groups.

Exploring Open-Pen Sea Cage Aquaculture – July 2011

In a four-part series, GoodFishBadFish explores Open-Pen Sea Cage Aquaculture in Australia. This is the method of aquaculture used to farm all Atlantic Salmon and Ocean Trout and large quantities of Yellowtail Kingfish, as well as Barramundi and Snapper. So, do you know how your fish was raised?

AMCS launches Seafood Guide iPhone App – Sept 2011

The Australian Marine Conservation Society has just launched a great new resource for the sustainable seafood lover.

ACF’s Victorian Sustainable Seafood Assessment Program – April 2011

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has recently announced the assessment of 6 new Victorian seafood products as sustainable. These complement the existing 5 products identified by their pilot of the Sustainable Australian Seafood Assessment Program (SASAP).

Quick Tips

Eating sustainably doesn’t have to involve hand-wringing, hair-pulling or angst at the seafood counter.. here are some quick and easy tips you can follow to ensure that your choices are good ones.

1.   Buy local – Buy local because we have some of the best managed fisheries in the world
2.   Buy fresh – Buy fresh for taste and health
3.   Diversify your choice – Try something new and spread the impacts of fishing pressures

GFBF Favourites

These species are those that we at GFBF feel we can promote without hesitation.. they are great sustainable options and their consumption should be encouraged. Some of these are lesser-known or under-utilised species, others are common favourites or sustainable stalwarts. This doesn’t mean that species not on this list should be avoided. Read their species profiles so that you can make an informed choice. The GFBF Favourites list will evolve and expand as we review and update all of the profiles on the site, so keep checking back for more.

Abalone (farmed)
Australian Herring (Tommy Ruff)
Australian Sardine
Australian Salmon
Bream
Bonito
Leatherjacket
Luderick
Mackerel
Mahi Mahi
Mullet
Mussels
Oyster
Squid and Calamari
Tailor
Trevally
Threadfin
Whiting

GoodFishBadFish Tips for Purchasing Seafood Sustainably

Eat Local
In general, Australian aquaculture regulation and fisheries management is very good – so only buy Australian seafood.

Eat lower on the food chain
Small schooling fish are usually fast breeding and short-lived, making their stocks more robust and capable of withstanding fishing pressures.

Avoid larger, longer lived species
Avoid tunas, shark (flake), skates and rays, which have very few young and are under pressure from decades of overfishing.

Ask questions
When at fishmongers and restaurants, ask about origin, fishing technique or aquaculture method of their seafood. Ask suppliers of seafood to identify species by its Standardised Fish Name.

Diversify your Choice
Understand that there is a sustainable alternative available for every species and cooking technique. Trying less-popular and under-utilised species is not just good for seafood species – it will expand your cooking repertoire

Shopping choices
Be an informed consumer and signal your interest in sustainable seafood so that restaurants and retailers realise the demand for and the benefits of sourcing sustainable seafood products.

If you want to keep reading, have a look at: The Role of Consumers

For more in-depth info on sustainability and the reasons behind the differing recommendations of the various guides and recommendations, check out: Good Fish, Bad Fish? If only it was that simple…

What’s happening with GoodFishBadFish?

The sustainability information on the GoodFishBadFish species profiles is no longer being updated. We will endeavour to update or remove this information as soon as possible to avoid confusion.
GoodFishBadFish has been running for nearly 10 years. When we started the website, information on seafood sustainability was difficult to find and interpret. The information that could be found online was often published by State-based fishing authorities, and there was no standardised means of assessment, so the information in different jurisdictions was hard to compare.

A lot has changed for the better over the last 10 years. More environmental groups have made their information available online, and made this information easier to interpret and more useful to the public. Government assessments have also been made available, and are more transparent and easier to understand than ever before.

The community dialogue has also changed, and it’s encouraging to see seafood sustainability much more part of the discussion. It’s now commonplace to see recipes and chefs referring to the sustainability of species and encouraging diners and home-cooks to utilise lesser-known species.

Keeping the sustainability information on GoodFishBadFish up-to-date is incredibly labour intensive. State and Federal agencies update their assessments continuously, as do environmental advocacy groups such as the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Staying abreast of all this information and ensuring that GFBF accurately reflects these changes requires constant work. GoodFishBadFish is run without funding or support from any outside organisation. We have always strived to remain impartial and free of outside influence. We want our readers to be completely assured that there is as little bias in our assessments as possible – we seek only to provide information, and to do so in a way that is easy to understand and useful for the home or restaurant cook.

To this end, I’m currently in the process of working out what to do with the website. With sustainability information now widely available, it is likely that in the future the website will focus more on cooking information, strongly advocating (as we always have) the use of underutilised and lesser-known species.

While we are not currently updating the species sustainability ratings, there’s still plenty of useful info on the site for you to check out. Try the list of ‘GFBF Favourites’, or our ever-relevant ‘Quick Tips’. If it’s sustainability info that you’re after specifically, please try the AMCS’ Sustainable Seafood Guide or the stock reports at Fish.gov.au

If you have any thoughts, suggestions, questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch.

Thank you for your support, and happy seafood eating!
Cheers, Oliver

A note on the State Government proposal to end commercial fishing in Port Phillip and Corio Bays, Victoria

NB: The State Government has affirmed their commitment to the Target 1 Million plan and has indicated an intention to halt commercial netting in Port Phillip and Corio Bays over the next 8 years. (February 2015)
Edit: The Labor Party also announced a similar policy to ban commercial netting in Port Phillip Bay through their Target 1 Million plan – intended to increase the number of recreational fishers to 1 million by 2020. As such, this proposed policy went to the most recent Victorian election with bipartisan support.  (November 2014)

Monday, November 3rd, 2014

Premier Dennis Napthine has announced that commercial net fishing will be phased out in Port Phillip Bay and Corio Bay if his government is re-elected on November 29, with fishing licenses to be bought back from fishermen as part of the $65 million ‘Better Bay Plan’.

The move seems targeted at securing political support from recreational fishermen. Whilst the Premier claims that his plan will “significantly improve recreational fishing opportunities through greater fish numbers in the bay … and see benefits flow on to local businesses”, a ban on commercial fishing appears poorly balanced against the losses accrued by commercial fishermen and the wider seafood-buying public.

The winners are clear: recreational fishermen gain access to the fish that commercials now take. The losers are far more widespread. Not only do commercial fishermen lose their livelihoods, but Victorians will be denied access to fresh, local and affordable fish from a sustainable commercial fishery in Port Phillip Bay. Where will this fish come from instead? Considering we currently import over 70% of our seafood, this policy seems certain to shift demand to international fisheries, where we cannot be assured of acceptable environmental and social standards.

The Port Phillip Bay (PPB) commercial fishery is widely acknowledged as environmentally sustainable. Biological stocks of snapper, whiting and other species in the bay are considered healthy and hence a ban on environmental grounds is not supported by the government’s own assessment of how fisheries in the bay are managed or currently performing . In addition, commercial fisheries for calamari, silver trevally, King George whiting, snapper and calamari in Port Phillip Bay have been independently assessed as sustainable by the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Sustainable Australian Seafood Assessment Program . Commercial fishing is highly regulated, with licenses capped, and limits to total allowable catch and permissible gear types.

Recreational fishing, by contrast, is difficult to monitor and enforce. Recreational catch of the key species in Port Phillip Bay currently exceeds commercial seafood catch – as much as 4 times more snapper is taken, by tonne, as that by commercial fishermen.

While it may be dressed up as such, this policy should not be mistaken for an environmental one. This announcement by the Premier comes less than a month after recreational fishing lobbies announced that they would be advocating a ban on commercial net fishing in the bay to the state government. These same lobby-groups will be included on the ‘advisory panel’ that Premier Napthine is putting together to make recommendations about the license buy-back scheme. As such, it’s very hard to see this policy as anything but a political play for the recreational fishing vote.

It would also appear that the government has failed to consult with commercial fishermen themselves, fishing industry representatives, or their own Department of Environment and Primary Industries, which is responsible for the sustainable management of Victorian fisheries. Commercial fishermen in NSW recently spoke out about the hardship in their communities, including mental health issues, that result from a lack of consultation and the myths perpetuated about their lack of environmental awareness. Commercial fishermen can be stewards of marine environments, and more often than not they are sensitive to changes in these environments. After all, they are out on the water most days. Protecting the livelihood of these individuals and their right to their way of life is as important as protecting the rights of the environment and recreational fishers. The balance of these needs is what true sustainability – environmental, economic, and social – is all about.

All Victorian’s have a right to the seafood from Port Phillip and Corio Bays. While 750,000 recreational fishers may take to the water annually, millions more are currently able to access the fresh local seafood from it thanks to the work of commercial fishermen. That we can eat delicious and abundant seafood out of Port Phillip Bay, home to a working commercial port and with a city of over 4 million people on it, should be a matter of immense civic pride.

Local food production is important. We should be preserving our sustainable local fisheries for the same reasons that we need to protect agricultural land in peri-urban areas – local food production has both social and environmental benefits. We should be creating ties to local industry, local producers, and local environments, not continuing the decline towards agro-industrial food systems in which connectivity and community have no place. A decision to end commercial fishing in Port Phillip and Corio Bays will mean that Melbourne seafood consumers are denied an important local food source.

Melbourne does not act like a coastal city in the way that many other Australian cities do. We do not have the strong connection to our bay in the same way Sydney does to its Harbour. But a stronger relationship with our coastal world will likely improve environmental outcomes, as people consider the impacts of their actions – such as littering – on this environment. The act of eating snapper from Port Phillip reminds us of the vibrant marine environment on the doorstep of our city. It makes us think of the generations before that have taken fish from these waters, of the rivers that flow into it, and of the need to protect these ecosystems. It connects us to the history of the city, to the industries that support it, and to the natural environments that we are a part of.

As a common-pool resource, Victorians have a right to enjoy the seafood from Port Phillip and Corio Bays. This policy will remove this right, and ensure that the only people able to enjoy this seafood in the future are those with the time, money and skill to catch it themselves.

We should be celebrating seafood from the bay, and ensuring that it is sustainably managed for future generations of Victorians. The rights of commercial fishers and seafood consumers must therefore be considered, alongside those of recreational fishers.

Oliver Edwards – Chef and Founder of GoodFishBadFish.com.au

John Ford – Marine Scientist, Department of Zoology, Melbourne University

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